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Theoretically speaking, I get potentially hit by cars, with quite high probability, might I add, not quite positively though, many times a day. However, I haven't gotten hit by a car yet. Although the possibility of being hit by a car is quite high, probably higher than being in a airplane crash or being abducted by aliens (I'm sure some will argue this one though). So the potential is definitely there

One time I got right-hooked by a van in the rain. I don't know if he ever knew I was there, and I managed to take the corner with him.

Another time I got run over by a Mustang and fortunately, only my rear wheel was destroyed. The car was driven by a student who was thinking more about finals than driving.

A third time, a gang used their '64 Impala to slam me to the curb so they could steal my bicycle.

But perhaps the worst was an attack by another bicyclist on a Stingray one time when I was commuting to work in downtown L.A.. First, he caught me on a hill where our gear ratios were about the same. He intentionally ran over my front tire with his back tire, dropping me. I picked myself up and pedaled on to work, and when I passed him on the flat, he strong-armed me into traffic. He pushed me till my rear wheel tacoed and we both went down, narrowly missing getting run over by a truck.

Because I was in the home territory of the MS-13 gang I hesitated to call attention to this event to the police. I didn't need a contract on me considering I had to commute through there every day.

Happily, it's been 25 years since any of those events.

__________________

"He who serves all, best serves himself" Jack London

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bjforrestal

I don't care if you are on a unicycle, as long as you're not using a motor to get places you get props from me. We're here to support each other. Share ideas, and motivate one another to actually keep doing it.

yes, although it was driver inattention, not road rage. driver turned right as i passed (he had a stop sign, i did not) and bumped/pushed my rear tire a bit. no damage to me or the bike although the driver got a good yelling at. i consider myself lucky - it could have been much worse.

Never been hit by a rager; had debris/trash/whatever thrown at me, near-missed several times by people who should know better (one a cop in his squad car!), and only one who tried to hit me -- while he was cussing me, threatening to kill me, shouting past his gf in the passenger seat at me. I called him out of the car, but he listened to her and drove on. Oh -- bumped by cars three times.

Twice, but no road rage involved. One was someone who ran a red light and the other pulled out of a convenience store driveway just as I rode by. No injuries, but the second incident destroyed my fork. That's not counting a couple nudges from side mirrors and having to jump over a curb to avoid a bus that also clipped the curb making a right turn.

Last April a driver from a very rural county apparently was confused by the big city stoplights. It seems he thought green meant he could turn left and that oncoming traffic (me) would (could) stop. T-boned me in the intersection.

But, he stopped, took his ticket for failure to yield, and (gasp!) even had insurance.

Bike got a new fork, front wheel, levers, saddle, and rack. I got a week off work, but saved my collarbone because I remembered to tuck and roll.

Once I was just riding off of the sidewalk onto the street (whoops) when some lady in an SUV apparently didn't notice the stop sign in front of her, the cyclist in front of her, or that it was raining. Slammed on the brakes about five feet in front of the stop sign, and slid into me at about 5mph.
Partly my fault for riding off the sidewalk, and for thinking that somebody would obey a stop sign in the first place, but mostly her fault for not paying attention and not driving at a reasonable speed for the conditions.
I didn't get hurt but she did bend the front wheel of my bike.

Second time, somebody just couldn't wait to get through an intersection and ran into my back wheel. This time no damage to my bike, but the passenger in the car (who was obviously drunk) threatened to sue me when I yelled at them to be more careful and what if they had hit a kid instead of a bike.

Such is life. Both accidents happened with vehicles traveling perpendicular to me and at intersections where there were stop signs for the vehicles that hit me, but not for traffic moving in my direction.

Have you ever gotten potentially hit by a car in a case of road rage? It's never happend to me before but my community is very very bike friendly

I've been hit 3 times... all three times the motorists were at fault, but none of this was due to road rage... just bad driving and the typical "I didn't see the cyclist."

Now "potentially" I have had multiple close calls... the last several were due to motorists using cell phones. (they were running red lights... too darn close for comfort)

I have had 2 close calls due to raging motorists that were trying to demonstrate the power of their motor vehicles... problem is that such demonstrations tend to be well telegraphed by the rev of the engine and the yelling of the idiots behind the wheel. Easy to avoid... but none the less, the "potential" was there.

Now beyond that... I don't know how many honks and "get on the sidewalks..." Are these from ragers or just the clueless?

Does being doored count? Nearly 40 years ago--One woman opened the door of a pickup, my front tire hit the door, and I got into the cab with her. Two weeks later another pickup, and I went through the open window. No injuries, thank God.

Does being doored count? Nearly 40 years ago--One woman opened the door of a pickup, my front tire hit the door, and I got into the cab with her. Two weeks later another pickup, and I went through the open window. No injuries, thank God.

I scared the **** out of the driver of a car who opened it without looking. A slight downhill just before the beach. I was quite a ways from him but yelled out door to warn other cyclists behind me that might not have seen past my huge butt. Oh and did use my diaphram as well as any quarterback, I sounded like a foghorn and he dove back into his truck, closing the door behind him.

Been hit once. Like many others here have already reported it was inattention, the driver was looking for an address. The good news is looking for an address meant going slow. My rear wheel gave up its life to protect me from harm. It did ruin the ride.

I've hit three, been hit by two in ten years of commuting. I was completely at fault with one of the cars I hit, partially at fault with the other two, and not at all with the two that hit me. But no road rage incidents towards me ever escalated past honking, cursing, threatening weaving, and garbage throwing. Actually, I haven't been harassed in over two years now, come to think of it.

3 times in one ride. Night ride on the Tandem and we were using Bright lights front and rear. First was a car parked at the kerb the wrong way round just pulled out in front of us. This Tandem has strong wheels and heavy braking and we hit the front bumper of the car. Driver very apoligetic and quick check of the Tandem and no damage. Not so with the car as it would require a new bumper. Second and a car pulled out in front of us on a roundabout and evasive action taken by us meant that we caught the Bootlid of the car--(Trunk to the americans) Big dent and lots of paint taken off the car and he did not stop and the registration No. Taken for later.

Then we were on a straight road and my bars as stoker took the door mirror off a car that got too close. No damage to us but the car driver was not amused. Bit of an argument took place and my pilot just asked if the Police should be called. The driver admitted that he had not seen us so we took him to the back of the Tandem with two bright rear lights fitted. One on steady and one on Flash.

And that Reg No. taken for later for the car that did not stop on the roundabout. My Pilot is a policeman and reported the car. Driver got a severe warning and his car was noted amongst the local policemen. Within 3 weeks he was off the road caught speeding on 4 occasions. Policemen take care of their own.

Yes, on seven occasions. So far the total damage done from these collisions is one broken spoke. All were the result of driver incompetence. I've had a few 'road rage' encounters over the years, but so far I've been able to evade all the idiots who took potshots at me with their cars.

In college I was once right hooked going down 26 in West Lafayette near campus. Very scary, but I managed to right through the turn while banging on the drivers windows.

The thing is unless you ride a bike, you aren't really aware of the types of things a car can do to mess up bicycle. Many dangerous behaviors are attempts of the drivers to be courteous. In my modern road cycling (I like MTB better), I am always thinking of every stupid thing a driver could possibly do and I do something to avoid it. I take the lane at intersections and wave motorists through intersections when they are waiting for me inappropriately. I NEVER assume a driver sees me unless I see him wave me through or flashes he flashes his lights. I give following cars stop signals with the left hand when it is unsafe for them to pass and wave them on when it is.

With 2000 miles on the road last year and some close calls, I'm 100% positive that I would have been hit without riding defensively.